Middle American Frogs of the Hyla microcephala Group — John Shaqi
Middle American Frogs of the Hyla microcephala GroupDuellman, William Edward
Science
Middle American Frogs of the Hyla microcephala Group
Duellman, William Edward
Frogs -- Central America; Hyla microcephala
Of the limited number of Colombian specimens examined, all are
patterned normally, except three from Sautata, Chocó, three from
Curumani, and three from Arcataca, Magdalena, which have flecks on the
dorsal surfaces of the shanks, and one from Espinal, Tolima, which has
no markings on the shanks.
When active at night most individuals are pale yellowish tan dorsally;
the white dorsolateral line is noticeable, but the brown lateral
stripe, dorsal brown lines, and lines on shanks are so pale that often
they are barely discernible. By day the dorsum changes to tan or pale
reddish brown; the stripes are dark brown, and the dorsolateral stripe
that is white at night becomes creamy yellow (Pl. 13). Small brown
flecks are present on the dorsum of most individuals. The venter
always is white, and the iris is pale bronze with a brown tint
immediately anterior and posterior to the pupil. In breeding males the
vocal sac is pale yellow.
_Tadpoles._--Tadpoles of this species have been found in weed-choked
ponds in eastern Panamá Province. The following description is based
on KU 104097, a specimen in developmental stage 34 (Gosner, 1960).
Total length, 20.5 mm.; body length, 8.2 mm.; body slightly wider
than deep; snout pointed; nostrils large, situated dorsally, much
closer to snout than eyes, directed anteriorly; eyes moderately
small, situated dorsolaterally and directed laterally; spiracle
sinistral, located just posteroventral to eye; anal tube dextral.
Tail xiphicercal; caudal musculature moderately deep, becoming
slender posteriorly, extending beyond caudal fin; fins deepest at
about one-third distance from body to tip of tail; dorsal fin
extending onto body, deeper than deepest part of caudal
musculature; ventral fin slightly shallower than musculature.
Mouth small, terminal, lacking teeth and fringing papillae, but
having finely serrate beaks. In preservative, top of head pale
brown; dark stripe from tip of snout through eye to posterior edge
of body, narrowing to thin line on proximal one-fourth of tail;
venter white; tail creamy tan with fine black flecks most numerous
posteriorly; posterior two-thirds of fins edged with black. In
life, top of head yellowish tan; lateral stripe brown; belly
white; anterior half of tail lacking pigment; posterior half deep
orange; iris pale bronze (Pl. 15).
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